The invention applies, for instance, to the field of Augmented Reality (AR), where 3D computer-generated images representing virtual objects are superposed on top of images captured by a video camera. To merge the virtual and the real images in the most realistic way, an accurate calibration of the video camera is required. Indeed, AR needs defining a virtual camera, which is used for rendering virtual 3D objects. This virtual camera must match as closely as possible the real camera used to capture the real world which is rendered in the background. Data provided by the manufacturer of the camera are usually insufficiently accurate to give satisfactory results, making it necessary to resort to calibration.
Camera calibration is all about accuracy. Without a well-calibrated camera, the rendered objects will not look as if they were real and the User Experience will be ruined.